Sprag for mining-cars



(No Model;) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. J. NEWBAK-BR.

Y SPRAG FOR MINING GARS. No. 352,882. Patented N0 v.'16,.1886

ATTORNEYS.

' N. PETERS. Phulwliihfzgmpfiur, Wnhinghn. n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I J. J. NEWBAKER.

SPRAG FOR MINING CARS- .No. 352,882. Patented Nov. 16, 1886.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

. UNrrnn ,STATESPATE T' OFFICE.

JOHN J. NEWBAKER, OF STEELTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

sPRAeFoR MlNING=-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,882, dated November 16, 1886.

' Application filed August 24, 1886. Serial No. 211,741. (No model.)

To aZZ whom itmuty concern:

Be it knownthat-I, JOHN J. NEWBAKER, of Steelton, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Sprag for Mining-Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved sprag for mining-cars, by which the speed of the cars can be checked or the cars can be entirely stopped while descending steep grades.

The invention consists of a sprag'sliding in suitable bearings on the car and engaging with the wheels of the car, and of a device forholding the sprag thus engaged.

The invention also consists of various parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mining-car provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical crosssection of the same on the line a: as of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 shows a modified arrangement of the sprag.

Heretofore the speed of mining-cars passing down steep grades was checked by inserting a short piece of wood, pointed at both ends, between the'spokes of the Wheels, and engaging at one end with the bottom of the car, thus locking the car-wheels. The operation had to be performed by an expert, and was always more or less dangerous, and the wooden blocks had to be frequently renewed on account of being worn out or being lost.

My improved sprag can be operated by any unskilled person without the least danger, and is at the same time very effective in operation, durable and simple in construction, and is a stationary fixture on the car.

The mining-car A,of any approved construction, is provided with the car-body A ,and with the car-wheels B, each provided on its inner side with a number of lugs or projections, G,

guides E and E, secured to the car-body A. At the upper end of the sprag D is formed a downwardly projecting arm or catch, F, adapted to engage with the horizontal arm G, extending from the handle H,pivoted to the bracket I, secured to the car-body A.

The operation is as follows: When the car A is about to pass down a steep grade, the

sprag D is placed in its lowest position, as

shown at the left in Fig. 1, so that the arm F rests on the upper guide,E,and the.lower end of the sprag engages one of the lugs O on the the wheel B, and engages the arm G of the handle H with the arm F of the sprag D, as shown to the right in Figs; 1 and 2, thus holding the spragD out of contact with the car-wheel B.- =When the speed of the car A increases, the operator presses on the handle H and releases its arm G from the arm F of the sprag D, and the latter drops downward until its arm F rests on the guide E, and its lower end engages with one of the lugs O of the wheel, thereby checking the speed of the car. the sprags on the car are engaged with their respective wheels, the car will be entirely stopped.

Instead of placing the sprag on the side of the car, I may also mount the same on the car-bottom, as shown in Fig. 3, in which the sprag D slides in the bearings E, parallel with the axles.

of the car, andis operated by a bell-crank lever, J, having the handle J,which projects a short distance beyond the side of the car-body A. This sprag D can be thrown in and out of contact with the spokes of the car-wheels B by moving the handle J of the lever J forward and backward, thus looking or freeing the carwheels with the same result as described above If all 2. The combination, with a car-body and car-wheels having lugs, of a sprag adapted to slide on the ear-body, and engaging with the said lugs on the wheels, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with a car-body provided with guides E and E, and the carwheels 13, having the projections or lugs O, of the sprag D, sliding in the said guides E and E, and having the arm F, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination of the sprag D, sliding in the guides E and E, and having the arm F, with the pivoted handle H, having the arm G, substantially as shown and described.

JOHN J. NEVVBAKER.

Witnesses:

THOMAS C. STONE, G. L. BRINsER. 

